Looking for culture in the capital? NYUAD The Arts Center Season 8 lineup has just been announced, and it looks mega.
When it comes to arts and culture in Abu Dhabi, there are few places more vibrant than Saadiyat Island; and one of the gems of the island’s arts scene is The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Based around the theme “stories” the upcoming programme at The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi includes theatre, music, talks, workshops and dance performances with stories from incredible UAE-based artists being highlighted.
This season will also see the return of some of The Arts Center’s most popular programming: Rooftop Rhythms, CinemaNa, Hekayah, Barzakh Festival and Music Recitals.
Meklit
The season kicks off on Thursday September 8 with a performance by Ethiopian-American singer-songwriter Meklit. The performance will showcase her transmedia project, Movement. The performance tells Meklit’s story as a child refugee in the United States and explores the relationship between migration and music through sound and song.
The show will also include interviews with musical performances by three UAE-based artists: UAE-born Somali rapper Freek, from Abu Dhabi; Syrian singer Ghaliaa Chaker, from Al Ain; and Filipino musician Cromwell Ojeda (Muhaisnah Four), from Dubai.
Thurs Sep 8, 7.30pm. The Red Theatre, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels
Contemporary dance initiative, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is collaborating with The Arts Center, to curate a robust dance series. Three dance shows have been confirmed with more to be announced soon.
First up, CanDoCo Dance Company, one of the world’s leading inclusive dance companies, will perform Set and Reset/Reset. Like all visiting artists, CanDoCo Dance Company will participate in loads of workshops, artist talks and other activities.
Next, Compagnie Hervé Koubi’s What the Day Owes to the Night is an intensely physical and fluid performance by thirteen dancers. It includes contemporary dance with references to Sufi whirling dervishes, capoeira, breaking, ballet, and gymnastics.
Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre will showcase Last Ward, an evening length dance theater piece by choreographer Samar Haddad King and playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi.
Sat Sep 17, 7.30pm. The Red Theatre, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
Al Raheel | Departure
A highlight of The Arts Center’s theater offerings is a revival of theatre production Al Raheel | Departure, which first premiered in 2020, commissioned by The Arts Center with Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation.
The piece was created by Emirati writer and NYUAD alum Reem Almenhali and American director and NYUAD Professor of Theater Joanna Settle. It fuses Arabic and English poetry, artistic projections, and expressive movement to explore the lives of Emirati women and features the originating cast of Emirati women.
The show is running from Thursday September 29 to Saturday October 1 at 7.30pm and at 3pm on Sunday October 2.
Thu Sep 29 to Sat Oct 1, 7.30pm; Sun Oct 2, 3pm. The Black Box, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
Ravi Coltrane
Legendary American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader Ravi Coltrane will be performing in the Gulf for the first time at The Arts Center. His work echoes the dynamic rhythms of modern and classic jazz. Get ready for a night of jazz.
Thu Oct 6, 7.30pm. The Read Theatre, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
Raul Midón
Critically acclaimed American jazz, soul, pop guitarist and singer Raul Midón will be performing at The Arts Center alongside Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter and 2022 Grammy Winner Alex Cuba. Abu Dhabi based Emirati singer-songwriter NotSoHuman will open the show.
Thu Nov 3, 7.30pm. The East Plaza, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
Groupe Acrobatque de Tangers
Looking for cultural events to see with the kids? The Arts Center season eight will wrap with a circus performance by Morocco’s Groupe Acrobatque de Tangers entitled FIQ! You can expect acrobatic feats, figures, colors, music, sketches, headspins, and choreography features sets and costumes designed by the Moroccan contemporary artist Hassan Hajjaj.
NYUAD The Arts Center returning programming
Curated by the NYUAD film and new media programme, CinemaNa is showcasing Daughters of Abdul-Rahman by Zaid Abu Hamdan on Monday October 3 at 7.30pm. You can also see Huda’s Salon by Hany Abu-Assad on Monday November 7 at 7.30pm. Both screenings will be followed by discussions and live Q&As with the filmmakers and faculty.
The Music Program Recitals will feature contemporary classical music recitals by faculty with a solo piano recital featuring Rachmaninoff’s, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Chopin.
The Arts Center will once again host the open mic platform Rooftop Rhythms, which features a number of regional spoken-word artists, slam poets, and musicians. The performances are held in The Marketplace monthly on Fridays at 7.30pm.
Further supporting the region’s artistic growth and celebrating UAE National Day, the eighth annual Hekayah | The Story will bring together diverse stories from across the region through powerful performances by poets, musicians, and storytellers of different cultural backgrounds.
Barzakh Festival will also return as a two-day musical summit featuring genre-shattering musical performances by Grammy winner for Best World Music Performance, Arooj Aftab; the all-women’s ensemble Lemma; and singer and cultural activist Sahra Halgan, as well as an additional artist to be announced.
Various times and locations. NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, nyuad-artscenter.org.
You can get your tickets to all the upcoming shows at The Arts Center website.
Ready for more arts and culture in the capital? Click here to see all the exciting museums coming to Abu Dhabi.
